In Kandarodai, Jaffna, the Tamil National People’s Front have staged a demonstration against the illegal imposition of a Buddhist statue. The erection of yet another Buddhist monument in the Tamil majority North-East, follows similar protests in Trincomalee where a statue of the Buddha was built in the vicinity of the Pillaiyar temple, with the assistance of the army, navy, and the police. Sinhala colonisation has been rapidly increasing in the past few years within the Northern and Eastern provinces of the island. Read more here .
As the Sri Lankan military continued its shelling of the No Fire Zone, the LTTE called on the international community to facilitate the delivery of urgent humanitarian aid. Extracts from their press release follow: Faced with imminent deaths by starvation directly attributable to the Sri Lankan regime’s deliberate denial of food and humanitarian assistance to the Tamil people, the Tamil Diaspora has initiated measures to deliver humanitarian aid direct to the Tamil people in the Vanni/Mullaitivu region. The LTTE calls on the international community to support these actions to deliver humanitarian aid. We draw attention to the nine deaths by starvation in the last few days and the real fear that the death toll could rise exponentially in the coming days. The situation of the Tamil people who are being subject to shelling and bombings has been made much worse by the deliberate withholding of food and medicine. The UN and the rest of the International Community has a moral obligation to support this initiative by the Tamil Diaspora.
Protesters in Thaiyiddy, Point Pedro, have been demonstrating continuously since May 3rd, calling for the removal of the Tissa Rajamaha Vihara temple. The demonstrators are demanding that the temple be removed and the 100 parappu land surrounding the temple be returned to the 14 families who own it. Protesters marched to the temple's entrance, and as a result, five people, including one woman, were arrested by the Palay Police. The arrestees have not been informed of the charges against them. Since then, the police have erected barricades around the temple, preventing the public from entering...
The Tamil National Youth Federation (TNYF) organized a petition opposing the Anti Terrorism Act, set to be debated in the Sri Lankan parliament on April 25th. The petition collected signatures from members of the public in Kilinochchi on April 23rd and will be sent to all 225 members of parliament and the United Nations Human Rights Commission. The TNYF aims to demonstrate its opposition to the Anti Terrorism Act through the petition, highlighting the potential impact of the act on civil liberties and human rights. The act is intended to reform the Prevention of Terrorism Act, but many...
On April 21st, Sri Lanka marked the fourth anniversary of the deadly Easter bombings with memorial services held across the Nort-East. The bombings, which occurred on April 21st, 2019, claimed the lives of 268 people and injured more than 500 others. The attacks were carried out by a local extremist group and targeted churches and luxury hotels. In Jaffna, a memorial service was held at St. Mary's Cathedral, attended by Catholic priests, other religious leaders, school students, and the general public. A bell was rung at the time of the bomb, 8:42am, and two minutes of silence were observed...
Last week the US State Department decided to sanction yet another Sri Lanka war criminal, former Naval Commander, Wasantha Karannagoda. For decades Karannagoda has enjoyed complete impunity for the crimes he committed against Tamil civilians. Despite his alleged involvement in the abduction and disappearance of eleven individuals, as a close ally of the Rajapaksa clan, Karannagoda appeared almost untouchable. Under the Sinhala state, Karannagoda was not held to account for the atrocities perpetrated against Eelam Tamil people but instead appointed as governor of the Tamil majority North-...
Armed personnel and police were deployed to provide security as the spire of a newly constructed Buddhist temple was installed and consecrated in Thaiyiddy, Point Pedro on April 27th. The temple, which is the tallest of its kind constructed in Jaffna in the recent past, has raised concerns among locals who view it as part of an ongoing Sinhala colonisation project in the region. The local community has accused the Archaeological Department of using Buddhism to justify the construction of such temples in predominantly Tamil areas, leading to demographic changes and the marginalisation of local...
The Vavuniya Magistrate Court has issued an order to all government authorities, including the police, that worshippers in the Vedukkunaari area should not be obstructed in any way. The order was issued during the court hearing regarding the vandalism and destruction of Vedukkunaari Athi Lingeshwara Temple idols. The police informed the court that they have been unable to identify the persons responsible for the vandalization, and further investigations are being carried out. President’s Counsel and MP M. A. Sumanthiran represented the temple administration during the hearing. The police...
Seven months after the release of the first instalment of ‘Ponniyin Selvan,’ the conclusion of the two-part film hits screens worldwide.
The 46th death anniversary of S. J. V. Chelvanayagam, also known as Thanthai Chelva, was commemorated in Jaffna Town and in Thellipalai. The commemoration was organised by the Thanthai Chelva Memorial Trust. Thanthai Chelva, who is widely regarded as the father of Tamil Nationalism, was remembered for his immense contribution to the Tamil struggle for self-determination in Sri Lanka